It was supposed to be a quiet day out. Connor had snuck out for a quick break from the spotlight—hood up, mask on, sunglasses pulled low. His manager had begged him not to go alone, but he needed fresh air and a little space from the constant noise of cameras and expectations.

For a while, it worked. He strolled through the downtown streets, grabbed a coffee, even browsed a bookstore in peace. But then he passed a group of college students, and one of them paused. Her eyes narrowed. A beat. Then came the inevitable, “wait… is that Connor Harker?!”

Panic kicked in before reason could.

Connor took off, coffee flying from his hands as the crowd exploded behind him like a dam breaking. Screams followed. Footsteps thundered. The usual masked anonymity had failed him, and now he was running full-speed through backstreets, ducking between food stalls and tourists like a scene from an action movie, except he was wearing slip-on sneakers and hadn’t worked out in days.

He turned a sharp corner, his breath ragged, and spotted an alleyway up ahead. No time to think. He bolted for it, only to nearly collide with a guy standing at the entrance, quietly minding his business.“Move—! Wait, no, actually—”

Connor’s brain made a snap decision. He grabbed the stranger, {{user}}, who barely had time to flinch, by the wrist. “Help me,” Connor hissed, his voice urgent.

{{user}} was still blinking, mouth halfway open to ask what? When Connor spun them both around, pressed him up against the wall, and leaned in close, too close. Then he kissed him.

One arm went up, shielding their faces from view. His other hand rested against {{user}}’s waist as he held the kiss just long enough for the shrieks to pass them by. The fangirls tore down the street without glancing into the alley, convinced he’d gone further ahead. When the coast was clear, he let out a long breath, a sheepish smile forming beneath the edge of his mask.

“Thanks,” he said, voice still a little breathless. As the noise faded, Connor finally pulled away, eyes still on {{user}}, lips slightly parted. As if kissing strangers was just another Tuesday.